NZEI negotiates members' pay and conditions

NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiates collective agreements for primary and area school teachers and principals, support staff in primary and secondary schools, kaiarahi i te reo and special needs teacher aides, kindergarten teachers and support staff, early childhood education teachers and special education staff in the Ministry of Education's Special Education Group.
All NZEI members are encouraged to participate in the negotiation process. No settlements are final until members have discussed and voted on them.
Employees must join the union if they want to be covered by the collective agreement on their site. NZEI Te Riu Roa also negotiates regional or local collective agreements for advisers/reading recovery tutors in universities, early childhood education teachers and support staff working in both not-for profit and commercial centres.
When an employer is not party to a collective agreement NZEI members work to persuade them to do so.

NZEI provides assistance - 0800 NZEI HELP (free from a landline)

Support just a phone call away! NZEI operates a 0800 number to provide ready access to information and assistance.
NZEI employs field staff in offices around the country to assist, represent, advise and advocate for members on all employment and professional matters. The staff include field officers and takawaenga (field staff who work mainly with the miro Maori strand of membership). Each field officer and takawaenga works with a group of branches/aronui tomua/komiti pasifika and workplaces to organise member activity and provide education and training for member groups.

NZEI co-ordinates activities nationally

NZEI Te Riu Roa’s National Office provides support for member activities and campaigns on education policies, curriculum matters, staffing, industrial and other issues through coordination of industrial advocacy, policy development, political lobbying, and communications work.

NZEI is a leading voice in education policy. Staff work to develop policy, analyse and comment on proposals from the Government, Ministry of Education and Teachers Council, and provide seminars and conferences to support members’ professional growth.

Support for the industrial objectives of all members is provided by staff who research, prepare and advocate in the negotiation of all national collective agreements.

Members’ activities are also supported by a Communications team, an Education and Development officer and administrative personnel. The Communications staff maintain NZEI websites, social media, produce Education Aotearoa and other publications, promote NZEI issues to the media and provide media training for NZEI elected officials. The finance and membership service staff keep NZEI’s finances in order and maintain the membership database.

NZEI members campaign on education and employment issues

NZEI Te Riu Roa has a respected voice in the education community. Members’ campaigns include organising around collective agreement bargaining, changes to employment legislation, issues such as pay parity and education issues such as school reorganisation, bulk funding and staffing. The NZEI Lobby Network has contacts in most branches and organises regular meetings with MPs from all political parties to help inform policy-making, raise issues of concern and provide them with an education perspective on wider community issues.

NZEI provides members with education and professional development opportunities. Members can attend NZEI education seminars and encourage others to take part. The education programmes that NZEI Te Riu Roa provides give members opportunities to gain skills to fully participate in the union, to improve employment relations in the workplace and to increase knowledge of professional issues. These include: Training seminars for worksite representatives, beginning teachers, branch leaders, principals and AP/DPs and unit holders, lobby network members and Membership Support Personnel as well as national conferences for support staff, rural and teaching principals and early childhood teachers.

For many of these education and development programmes, members have the right to paid leave under Employment Related Education Leave (EREL) provisions of the Employment Relations Act.

NZEI supports new educators

NZEI Te Riu Roa’s New Educators Network is for people studying or starting out in the education sector. With plenty to do and learn, it’s important to feel supported and informed. Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa support new educators by organising relevant professional development and networking opportunities. Those who get involved in the New Educators Network develop leadership skills and enjoy working alongside other new educators from across the country. The New Educators Network also organises around issues affecting new educators such as mentoring, fixed term agreements and student debt. Contact us at neweducators@nzei.org.nz.

NZEI Member Assist

In many cases the worksite representative will be able to resolve a member’s query, professional relationship issue or complaint. In others, field staff or Members Assist can assist. Member Assist are experienced and trained NZEI members who offer personal and professional confidential support and advice. The service is free, confidential and available to all members. The MA work closely with field staff to provide advice on resolving professional difficulties and help communication with colleagues. members can contact the local Member Assist through 0800 NZEI Help.

NZEI links members with education workers nationally and globally

NZEI is affiliated to the New Zealand Council for Trade Unions (CTU) and is a member of Education International (EI), which represents 30 million teachers and education workers from pre-school to university in 169 countries. NZEI works closely with education employers in Australia and the Pacific through membership of the Council of Pacific Education (COPE).
On a day to day basis NZEI elected officials and staff engage with the Ministry of Education, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association, Education Review Office, the School Trustees Association, the Teachers Council, the Principals’ Federation, and other agencies to promote quality public education and members’ interests.